News Analysis India

Tag: Netflix

  • ‘Protagonist of The Gray Man is an anti-thesis of Bond’: Dhanush, Russo Brothers on Netflix’s new release

    By Express News Service

    The man of the moment, Dhanush, and the Russo Brothers, speak about the themes and creative choices that went into making the new Netflix espionage action extravaganza, The Gray Man

    At the end of Polladhavan (2007)—the first of many future collaborations with director Vetrimaran—Dhanush rips off his shirt and faces off against an adversary insistent on murdering him. For an actor whose wiry frame was the topic of some unpleasant criticism around an earlier film, Pudhupettai (2006), being bare-bodied in a climax fight was a rather courageous move—and one that fetched a lot of adulation. It even drew comparisons with—hold your breath—Bruce Lee, with eager fans branding him our version of the Hollywood actor. And now, 15 years later, after winning multiple National Awards and drawing the fascination of an entire country, Hollywood has come calling for Dhanush.

    His latest film, a Netflix release, The Gray Man, is a grand globe-trotting Hollywood action film directed by the Russo Brothers. Here are Dhanush and the Russo Brothers in conversation about a collaboration that has got the entire country excited:

    Excerpts:

    From Bruce Lee comparisons to a huge Hollywood film… dreams do come true, no? Would you call this your biggest dream realised?

    Dhanush: (Laughs) It’s not the biggest dream; I have bigger ones. You have to dream in the biggest possible way… I’d rather call it hunger. The fire in me is still raging. The Russo Brothers have found me from India and provided me with a beautiful opening. I have to see where God takes me from here.

    Anthony Russo: It’s funny you mention the comparison with Bruce Lee because the first time we learned of Dhanush, someone actually said that to us. It’s amazing.

    Dhanush’s character, Avik San, is referred to as the ‘sexy Tamil friend’ in this film, and I think there’s great utility in defining the character by his Tamil identity, considering that successful artists from across India have previously been brushed under the generic label of Bollywood. Dhanush, did you make this distinction clear to them?

    Joe Russo: Yes, it was Dhanush that made the difference clear to us. I think it adds great context and flavour to the character. We always believe in opting for the specific rather than the generic.

    Dhanush: I’m grateful that they were receptive to my suggestion and agreed. They were generous enough to find it an interesting detail.

    Joe, you spoke in the press conference about how you like your films to have a bit of everything, including comedy, action, sentiment… Dhanush, did you tell them that our cinema specialises in this formula?

    Dhanush: (Laughs) Not really. A lot of the conversations we had was when the pandemic was raging across the world. There were too many restrictions, and we were connecting over video calls with masks on. The world is now healing and it’s a better place. I think I’ll tell them about our cinema in our future conversations.

    The protagonist of The Gray Man (played by Ryan Gosling) is an anti-thesis of Bond. The film even makes a reference to 007 and the theme track also seems drawn from the Bond films.

    Joe: We are self-aware filmmakers, and we like to pay homage… and also make fun of older films. It’s hard for us to take anything particularly seriously. As you said, the protagonist is the anti-Bond. We liked that he is a proletariat hero. He doesn’t enjoy being a spy and doesn’t care about the glamour. It’s this modern interpretation of a spy that drew us to this project.

    And he’s a rogue agent too, isn’t he? I think it’s useful at a time when some oppressive governments across the world are demanding unquestioned loyalty and patriotism.

    Joe: Yes, especially when the system is as corrupt as it is in our film. Our film, for this reason, also speaks up against patriarchy… The protagonist has an abusive father, and he has another father figure at the CIA. We reject patriarchy through this film.

    Anthony: We also show that the problem for the protagonist isn’t the other. It’s within his system. I think that’s a better way for us to examine who we really are.

    Speaking of patriarchy, I loved that Ana de Armas doesn’t need to be rescued by Ryan Gosling in this film. In fact, it’s the other way round.

    Joe: We wanted a strong, independent woman character, someone whose story isn’t exactly dependent on the protagonist’s. That’s why she does most of the saving. We like fighting against conventions, and we thought adding some Bondesque cues would come in handy. You know, mix it all up into making an entertainer…

    Dhanush, from tentative beginnings as an actor, you have turned into a natural. And yet, when you get a grand opportunity such as this, how do you make sure your eagerness to impress doesn’t get in the way of your natural flair?

    That’s why I was careful about never approaching it like that. I just told myself I should do a convincing job of the brief given to me. Yes, it’s a big opportunity and it offers plenty of scope, but impress? Not really. The big responsibility was justifying their faith in me. The West is watching India and I knew that if I did a good job, it could pave the way for more Indian talents to get picked up.

    There’s plenty of humour in this film, especially drawn from the antics of Chris Evans. Do you feel that this genre—globe-trotting action with self-aware humour—doesn’t quite get its due?

    Joe: We appreciate it! (Laughs) We have a career built on not caring about what people think. Our focus is on making stories that entertain us, and that hopefully entertain others too. We find conventions to be constricting, to be boring. Certain tropes have been abused for years. We would rather embrace our challenges being aware of these pitfalls and try and have fun with them while also giving the audience something to chew on.

    Anthony: We are trying to give people a meaningful experience in the theatre—

    Joe: Or Netflix… (Everyone laughs)

    Anthony: Yes! The idea is to create an experience that can speak meaningfully to everyone.

    Any plans of returning to the Marvel universe? This new phase could perhaps do with the Russo touch.

    Joe: (After a pause) There are no plans, no. If the audience enjoys The Gray Man a lot, we hope to work on the sequel. As for Marvel, look, they can’t do what they did in the first phase. They are now taking risks, and they are becoming more diverse. All the volume is a product of the success. I think the audience too has to embrace the content for what it is, and not for what it was. Perhaps Marvel can take us through surprising, new directions? Let’s see.

    Dhanush, how do you see your experience of being part of Hollywood stunt sequences transforming the fight scenes in our films?

    Dhanush: I think I can make the process easier for stunt choreographers. For The Gray Man, I was trained meticulously. They made me understand the basics and took me from there. They made me look like a pro. I think I now approach stunt choreography differently. I just hope that I can make it easier for our stunt choreographers to work with me.

    As a last question, why do you think your Indian fans need to watch this film?

    Dhanush: It’s a big treat for fans of the action genre. And so many of us grew up watching such films, no? Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, Fifth Element, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Predator… I can go on and on.

    And this time, there’s also the added pleasure of knowing there’s one of our own in such a film.

    Dhanush: All gratitude to the grace of god.

    (This story originally appeared on cinemaexpress.com)

    The man of the moment, Dhanush, and the Russo Brothers, speak about the themes and creative choices that went into making the new Netflix espionage action extravaganza, The Gray Man

    At the end of Polladhavan (2007)—the first of many future collaborations with director Vetrimaran—Dhanush rips off his shirt and faces off against an adversary insistent on murdering him. For an actor whose wiry frame was the topic of some unpleasant criticism around an earlier film, Pudhupettai (2006), being bare-bodied in a climax fight was a rather courageous move—and one that fetched a lot of adulation. It even drew comparisons with—hold your breath—Bruce Lee, with eager fans branding him our version of the Hollywood actor. And now, 15 years later, after winning multiple National Awards and drawing the fascination of an entire country, Hollywood has come calling for Dhanush.

    His latest film, a Netflix release, The Gray Man, is a grand globe-trotting Hollywood action film directed by the Russo Brothers. Here are Dhanush and the Russo Brothers in conversation about a collaboration that has got the entire country excited:

    Excerpts:

    From Bruce Lee comparisons to a huge Hollywood film… dreams do come true, no? Would you call this your biggest dream realised?

    Dhanush: (Laughs) It’s not the biggest dream; I have bigger ones. You have to dream in the biggest possible way… I’d rather call it hunger. The fire in me is still raging. The Russo Brothers have found me from India and provided me with a beautiful opening. I have to see where God takes me from here.

    Anthony Russo: It’s funny you mention the comparison with Bruce Lee because the first time we learned of Dhanush, someone actually said that to us. It’s amazing.

    Dhanush’s character, Avik San, is referred to as the ‘sexy Tamil friend’ in this film, and I think there’s great utility in defining the character by his Tamil identity, considering that successful artists from across India have previously been brushed under the generic label of Bollywood. Dhanush, did you make this distinction clear to them?

    Joe Russo: Yes, it was Dhanush that made the difference clear to us. I think it adds great context and flavour to the character. We always believe in opting for the specific rather than the generic.

    Dhanush: I’m grateful that they were receptive to my suggestion and agreed. They were generous enough to find it an interesting detail.

    Joe, you spoke in the press conference about how you like your films to have a bit of everything, including comedy, action, sentiment… Dhanush, did you tell them that our cinema specialises in this formula?

    Dhanush: (Laughs) Not really. A lot of the conversations we had was when the pandemic was raging across the world. There were too many restrictions, and we were connecting over video calls with masks on. The world is now healing and it’s a better place. I think I’ll tell them about our cinema in our future conversations.

    The protagonist of The Gray Man (played by Ryan Gosling) is an anti-thesis of Bond. The film even makes a reference to 007 and the theme track also seems drawn from the Bond films.

    Joe: We are self-aware filmmakers, and we like to pay homage… and also make fun of older films. It’s hard for us to take anything particularly seriously. As you said, the protagonist is the anti-Bond. We liked that he is a proletariat hero. He doesn’t enjoy being a spy and doesn’t care about the glamour. It’s this modern interpretation of a spy that drew us to this project.

    And he’s a rogue agent too, isn’t he? I think it’s useful at a time when some oppressive governments across the world are demanding unquestioned loyalty and patriotism.

    Joe: Yes, especially when the system is as corrupt as it is in our film. Our film, for this reason, also speaks up against patriarchy… The protagonist has an abusive father, and he has another father figure at the CIA. We reject patriarchy through this film.

    Anthony: We also show that the problem for the protagonist isn’t the other. It’s within his system. I think that’s a better way for us to examine who we really are.

    Speaking of patriarchy, I loved that Ana de Armas doesn’t need to be rescued by Ryan Gosling in this film. In fact, it’s the other way round.

    Joe: We wanted a strong, independent woman character, someone whose story isn’t exactly dependent on the protagonist’s. That’s why she does most of the saving. We like fighting against conventions, and we thought adding some Bondesque cues would come in handy. You know, mix it all up into making an entertainer…

    Dhanush, from tentative beginnings as an actor, you have turned into a natural. And yet, when you get a grand opportunity such as this, how do you make sure your eagerness to impress doesn’t get in the way of your natural flair?

    That’s why I was careful about never approaching it like that. I just told myself I should do a convincing job of the brief given to me. Yes, it’s a big opportunity and it offers plenty of scope, but impress? Not really. The big responsibility was justifying their faith in me. The West is watching India and I knew that if I did a good job, it could pave the way for more Indian talents to get picked up.

    There’s plenty of humour in this film, especially drawn from the antics of Chris Evans. Do you feel that this genre—globe-trotting action with self-aware humour—doesn’t quite get its due?

    Joe: We appreciate it! (Laughs) We have a career built on not caring about what people think. Our focus is on making stories that entertain us, and that hopefully entertain others too. We find conventions to be constricting, to be boring. Certain tropes have been abused for years. We would rather embrace our challenges being aware of these pitfalls and try and have fun with them while also giving the audience something to chew on.

    Anthony: We are trying to give people a meaningful experience in the theatre—

    Joe: Or Netflix… (Everyone laughs)

    Anthony: Yes! The idea is to create an experience that can speak meaningfully to everyone.

    Any plans of returning to the Marvel universe? This new phase could perhaps do with the Russo touch.

    Joe: (After a pause) There are no plans, no. If the audience enjoys The Gray Man a lot, we hope to work on the sequel. As for Marvel, look, they can’t do what they did in the first phase. They are now taking risks, and they are becoming more diverse. All the volume is a product of the success. I think the audience too has to embrace the content for what it is, and not for what it was. Perhaps Marvel can take us through surprising, new directions? Let’s see.

    Dhanush, how do you see your experience of being part of Hollywood stunt sequences transforming the fight scenes in our films?

    Dhanush: I think I can make the process easier for stunt choreographers. For The Gray Man, I was trained meticulously. They made me understand the basics and took me from there. They made me look like a pro. I think I now approach stunt choreography differently. I just hope that I can make it easier for our stunt choreographers to work with me.

    As a last question, why do you think your Indian fans need to watch this film?

    Dhanush: It’s a big treat for fans of the action genre. And so many of us grew up watching such films, no? Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, Fifth Element, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Predator… I can go on and on.

    And this time, there’s also the added pleasure of knowing there’s one of our own in such a film.

    Dhanush: All gratitude to the grace of god.

    (This story originally appeared on cinemaexpress.com)

  • INTERVIEW | ‘Protagonist of The Gray Man is an anti-thesis of Bond’: Dhanush, Russo Brothers

    Express News Service

    The man of the moment, Dhanush, and the Russo Brothers, speak about the themes and creative choices that went into making the new Netflix espionage action extravaganza, The Gray Man

    At the end of Polladhavan (2007)—the first of many future collaborations with director Vetrimaran—Dhanush rips off his shirt and faces off against an adversary insistent on murdering him. For an actor whose wiry frame was the topic of some unpleasant criticism around an earlier film, Pudhupettai (2006), being bare-bodied in a climax fight was a rather courageous move—and one that fetched a lot of adulation. It even drew comparisons with—hold your breath—Bruce Lee, with eager fans branding him our version of the Hollywood actor. And now, 15 years later, after winning multiple National Awards and drawing the fascination of an entire country, Hollywood has come calling for Dhanush.

    His latest film, a Netflix release, The Gray Man, is a grand globe-trotting Hollywood action film directed by the Russo Brothers. Here are Dhanush and the Russo Brothers in conversation about a collaboration that has got the entire country excited:

    Excerpts:

    From Bruce Lee comparisons to a huge Hollywood film… dreams do come true, no? Would you call this your biggest dream realised?

    Dhanush: (Laughs) It’s not the biggest dream; I have bigger ones. You have to dream in the biggest possible way… I’d rather call it hunger. The fire in me is still raging. The Russo Brothers have found me from India and provided me with a beautiful opening. I have to see where God takes me from here.

    Anthony Russo: It’s funny you mention the comparison with Bruce Lee because the first time we learned of Dhanush, someone actually said that to us. It’s amazing.

    Dhanush’s character, Avik San, is referred to as the ‘sexy Tamil friend’ in this film, and I think there’s great utility in defining the character by his Tamil identity, considering that successful artists from across India have previously been brushed under the generic label of Bollywood. Dhanush, did you make this distinction clear to them?

    Joe Russo: Yes, it was Dhanush that made the difference clear to us. I think it adds great context and flavour to the character. We always believe in opting for the specific rather than the generic.

    Dhanush: I’m grateful that they were receptive to my suggestion and agreed. They were generous enough to find it an interesting detail.

    Joe, you spoke in the press conference about how you like your films to have a bit of everything, including comedy, action, sentiment… Dhanush, did you tell them that our cinema specialises in this formula?

    Dhanush: (Laughs) Not really. A lot of the conversations we had was when the pandemic was raging across the world. There were too many restrictions, and we were connecting over video calls with masks on. The world is now healing and it’s a better place. I think I’ll tell them about our cinema in our future conversations.

    The protagonist of The Gray Man (played by Ryan Gosling) is an anti-thesis of Bond. The film even makes a reference to 007 and the theme track also seems drawn from the Bond films.

    Joe: We are self-aware filmmakers, and we like to pay homage… and also make fun of older films. It’s hard for us to take anything particularly seriously. As you said, the protagonist is the anti-Bond. We liked that he is a proletariat hero. He doesn’t enjoy being a spy and doesn’t care about the glamour. It’s this modern interpretation of a spy that drew us to this project.

    And he’s a rogue agent too, isn’t he? I think it’s useful at a time when some oppressive governments across the world are demanding unquestioned loyalty and patriotism.

    Joe: Yes, especially when the system is as corrupt as it is in our film. Our film, for this reason, also speaks up against patriarchy… The protagonist has an abusive father, and he has another father figure at the CIA. We reject patriarchy through this film.

    Anthony: We also show that the problem for the protagonist isn’t the other. It’s within his system. I think that’s a better way for us to examine who we really are.

    Speaking of patriarchy, I loved that Ana de Armas doesn’t need to be rescued by Ryan Gosling in this film. In fact, it’s the other way round.

    Joe: We wanted a strong, independent woman character, someone whose story isn’t exactly dependent on the protagonist’s. That’s why she does most of the saving. We like fighting against conventions, and we thought adding some Bondesque cues would come in handy. You know, mix it all up into making an entertainer…

    Dhanush, from tentative beginnings as an actor, you have turned into a natural. And yet, when you get a grand opportunity such as this, how do you make sure your eagerness to impress doesn’t get in the way of your natural flair?

    That’s why I was careful about never approaching it like that. I just told myself I should do a convincing job of the brief given to me. Yes, it’s a big opportunity and it offers plenty of scope, but impress? Not really. The big responsibility was justifying their faith in me. The West is watching India and I knew that if I did a good job, it could pave the way for more Indian talents to get picked up.

    There’s plenty of humour in this film, especially drawn from the antics of Chris Evans. Do you feel that this genre—globe-trotting action with self-aware humour—doesn’t quite get its due?

    Joe: We appreciate it! (Laughs) We have a career built on not caring about what people think. Our focus is on making stories that entertain us, and that hopefully entertain others too. We find conventions to be constricting, to be boring. Certain tropes have been abused for years. We would rather embrace our challenges being aware of these pitfalls and try and have fun with them while also giving the audience something to chew on.

    Anthony: We are trying to give people a meaningful experience in the theatre—

    Joe: Or Netflix… (Everyone laughs)

    Anthony: Yes! The idea is to create an experience that can speak meaningfully to everyone.

    Any plans of returning to the Marvel universe? This new phase could perhaps do with the Russo touch.

    Joe: (After a pause) There are no plans, no. If the audience enjoys The Gray Man a lot, we hope to work on the sequel. As for Marvel, look, they can’t do what they did in the first phase. They are now taking risks, and they are becoming more diverse. All the volume is a product of the success. I think the audience too has to embrace the content for what it is, and not for what it was. Perhaps Marvel can take us through surprising, new directions? Let’s see.

    Dhanush, how do you see your experience of being part of Hollywood stunt sequences transforming the fight scenes in our films?

    Dhanush: I think I can make the process easier for stunt choreographers. For The Gray Man, I was trained meticulously. They made me understand the basics and took me from there. They made me look like a pro. I think I now approach stunt choreography differently. I just hope that I can make it easier for our stunt choreographers to work with me.

    As a last question, why do you think your Indian fans need to watch this film?

    Dhanush: It’s a big treat for fans of the action genre. And so many of us grew up watching such films, no? Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, Fifth Element, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Predator… I can go on and on.

    And this time, there’s also the added pleasure of knowing there’s one of our own in such a film.

    Dhanush: All gratitude to the grace of god.

    (This story originally appeared on cinemaexpress.com)

    The man of the moment, Dhanush, and the Russo Brothers, speak about the themes and creative choices that went into making the new Netflix espionage action extravaganza, The Gray Man

    At the end of Polladhavan (2007)—the first of many future collaborations with director Vetrimaran—Dhanush rips off his shirt and faces off against an adversary insistent on murdering him. For an actor whose wiry frame was the topic of some unpleasant criticism around an earlier film, Pudhupettai (2006), being bare-bodied in a climax fight was a rather courageous move—and one that fetched a lot of adulation. It even drew comparisons with—hold your breath—Bruce Lee, with eager fans branding him our version of the Hollywood actor. And now, 15 years later, after winning multiple National Awards and drawing the fascination of an entire country, Hollywood has come calling for Dhanush.

    His latest film, a Netflix release, The Gray Man, is a grand globe-trotting Hollywood action film directed by the Russo Brothers. Here are Dhanush and the Russo Brothers in conversation about a collaboration that has got the entire country excited:

    Excerpts:

    From Bruce Lee comparisons to a huge Hollywood film… dreams do come true, no? Would you call this your biggest dream realised?

    Dhanush: (Laughs) It’s not the biggest dream; I have bigger ones. You have to dream in the biggest possible way… I’d rather call it hunger. The fire in me is still raging. The Russo Brothers have found me from India and provided me with a beautiful opening. I have to see where God takes me from here.

    Anthony Russo: It’s funny you mention the comparison with Bruce Lee because the first time we learned of Dhanush, someone actually said that to us. It’s amazing.

    Dhanush’s character, Avik San, is referred to as the ‘sexy Tamil friend’ in this film, and I think there’s great utility in defining the character by his Tamil identity, considering that successful artists from across India have previously been brushed under the generic label of Bollywood. Dhanush, did you make this distinction clear to them?

    Joe Russo: Yes, it was Dhanush that made the difference clear to us. I think it adds great context and flavour to the character. We always believe in opting for the specific rather than the generic.

    Dhanush: I’m grateful that they were receptive to my suggestion and agreed. They were generous enough to find it an interesting detail.

    Joe, you spoke in the press conference about how you like your films to have a bit of everything, including comedy, action, sentiment… Dhanush, did you tell them that our cinema specialises in this formula?

    Dhanush: (Laughs) Not really. A lot of the conversations we had was when the pandemic was raging across the world. There were too many restrictions, and we were connecting over video calls with masks on. The world is now healing and it’s a better place. I think I’ll tell them about our cinema in our future conversations.

    The protagonist of The Gray Man (played by Ryan Gosling) is an anti-thesis of Bond. The film even makes a reference to 007 and the theme track also seems drawn from the Bond films.

    Joe: We are self-aware filmmakers, and we like to pay homage… and also make fun of older films. It’s hard for us to take anything particularly seriously. As you said, the protagonist is the anti-Bond. We liked that he is a proletariat hero. He doesn’t enjoy being a spy and doesn’t care about the glamour. It’s this modern interpretation of a spy that drew us to this project.

    And he’s a rogue agent too, isn’t he? I think it’s useful at a time when some oppressive governments across the world are demanding unquestioned loyalty and patriotism.

    Joe: Yes, especially when the system is as corrupt as it is in our film. Our film, for this reason, also speaks up against patriarchy… The protagonist has an abusive father, and he has another father figure at the CIA. We reject patriarchy through this film.

    Anthony: We also show that the problem for the protagonist isn’t the other. It’s within his system. I think that’s a better way for us to examine who we really are.

    Speaking of patriarchy, I loved that Ana de Armas doesn’t need to be rescued by Ryan Gosling in this film. In fact, it’s the other way round.

    Joe: We wanted a strong, independent woman character, someone whose story isn’t exactly dependent on the protagonist’s. That’s why she does most of the saving. We like fighting against conventions, and we thought adding some Bondesque cues would come in handy. You know, mix it all up into making an entertainer…

    Dhanush, from tentative beginnings as an actor, you have turned into a natural. And yet, when you get a grand opportunity such as this, how do you make sure your eagerness to impress doesn’t get in the way of your natural flair?

    That’s why I was careful about never approaching it like that. I just told myself I should do a convincing job of the brief given to me. Yes, it’s a big opportunity and it offers plenty of scope, but impress? Not really. The big responsibility was justifying their faith in me. The West is watching India and I knew that if I did a good job, it could pave the way for more Indian talents to get picked up.

    There’s plenty of humour in this film, especially drawn from the antics of Chris Evans. Do you feel that this genre—globe-trotting action with self-aware humour—doesn’t quite get its due?

    Joe: We appreciate it! (Laughs) We have a career built on not caring about what people think. Our focus is on making stories that entertain us, and that hopefully entertain others too. We find conventions to be constricting, to be boring. Certain tropes have been abused for years. We would rather embrace our challenges being aware of these pitfalls and try and have fun with them while also giving the audience something to chew on.

    Anthony: We are trying to give people a meaningful experience in the theatre—

    Joe: Or Netflix… (Everyone laughs)

    Anthony: Yes! The idea is to create an experience that can speak meaningfully to everyone.

    Any plans of returning to the Marvel universe? This new phase could perhaps do with the Russo touch.

    Joe: (After a pause) There are no plans, no. If the audience enjoys The Gray Man a lot, we hope to work on the sequel. As for Marvel, look, they can’t do what they did in the first phase. They are now taking risks, and they are becoming more diverse. All the volume is a product of the success. I think the audience too has to embrace the content for what it is, and not for what it was. Perhaps Marvel can take us through surprising, new directions? Let’s see.

    Dhanush, how do you see your experience of being part of Hollywood stunt sequences transforming the fight scenes in our films?

    Dhanush: I think I can make the process easier for stunt choreographers. For The Gray Man, I was trained meticulously. They made me understand the basics and took me from there. They made me look like a pro. I think I now approach stunt choreography differently. I just hope that I can make it easier for our stunt choreographers to work with me.

    As a last question, why do you think your Indian fans need to watch this film?

    Dhanush: It’s a big treat for fans of the action genre. And so many of us grew up watching such films, no? Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, Fifth Element, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Predator… I can go on and on.

    And this time, there’s also the added pleasure of knowing there’s one of our own in such a film.

    Dhanush: All gratitude to the grace of god.

    (This story originally appeared on cinemaexpress.com)

  • Reese Witherspoon’s son Deacon Phillippe to make acting debut 

    By Express News Service

    Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe’s 18-year-old musician son Deacon Phillippe will make his acting debut in the third season of the Netflix comedy, Never Have I Ever.

    Created by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher, Never Have I Ever follows Indian American teenager Devi Vishwakumar as she navigates the ups and downs of high school life.

    Deacon will guest star as Parker, a newcomer in the orbit of Devi. According to a release from Netflix, Parker is a member of a rival debate team from a rich private school. His lifestyle offers him certain advantages that allow him to coast as a student, so he’s always ready to party.

    Never Have I Ever was renewed for two more seasons, with the fourth season planned to be released in 2023. The third season is set to premiere on August 12. 

    Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe’s 18-year-old musician son Deacon Phillippe will make his acting debut in the third season of the Netflix comedy, Never Have I Ever.

    Created by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher, Never Have I Ever follows Indian American teenager Devi Vishwakumar as she navigates the ups and downs of high school life.

    Deacon will guest star as Parker, a newcomer in the orbit of Devi. According to a release from Netflix, Parker is a member of a rival debate team from a rich private school. His lifestyle offers him certain advantages that allow him to coast as a student, so he’s always ready to party.

    Never Have I Ever was renewed for two more seasons, with the fourth season planned to be released in 2023. The third season is set to premiere on August 12.
     

  • Black Adam director Jaume Collet-Serra to direct ‘Carry On’

    By Express News Service

    Black Adam director Jaume Collet-Serra will be helming a holiday action thriller currently titled Carry On. The film is the first production to come from the agreement Amblin Entertainment signed with Netflix in June 2021, and Kingsman-fame Taron Egerton is set to star in the film.

    The screenplay of the film is written over eight years ago by film, comic, and video game author T.J. Fixman, and enhanced by Logan screenplay writer Michael Green, Carry On is reportedly an action-packed holiday thriller.

    A typical hectic Christmas Day at the airport turns into a nightmare for TSA agent Ethan Kopek (Egerton) who is blackmailed by a mysterious traveller who somehow has information they’re holding over the agent’s head to allow the package to pass through security.

    Reportedly, Egerton felt a personal connection to the script despite having a number of offers. Producer of action films like 2022’s The Batman with Robert Pattinson and Joseph Kosinski’s Oblivion, Dylan Clark will be backing the project with Amblin Entertainment’s president of production Holly Bario. There are no further details regarding the cast, plot, or release date of ‘Carry On’.  

    Black Adam director Jaume Collet-Serra will be helming a holiday action thriller currently titled Carry On. The film is the first production to come from the agreement Amblin Entertainment signed with Netflix in June 2021, and Kingsman-fame Taron Egerton is set to star in the film.

    The screenplay of the film is written over eight years ago by film, comic, and video game author T.J. Fixman, and enhanced by Logan screenplay writer Michael Green, Carry On is reportedly an action-packed holiday thriller.

    A typical hectic Christmas Day at the airport turns into a nightmare for TSA agent Ethan Kopek (Egerton) who is blackmailed by a mysterious traveller who somehow has information they’re holding over the agent’s head to allow the package to pass through security.

    Reportedly, Egerton felt a personal connection to the script despite having a number of offers. Producer of action films like 2022’s The Batman with Robert Pattinson and Joseph Kosinski’s Oblivion, Dylan Clark will be backing the project with Amblin Entertainment’s president of production Holly Bario. There are no further details regarding the cast, plot, or release date of ‘Carry On’. 
     

  • Cillian Murphy and a star’s charisma

    Express News Service

    Last week the first poster of Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film Oppenheimer dropped with a release date of July 21, 2023. It stars Cillian Murphy as the titular physicist and one of the frontmen in the creation of the atomic bomb. Cillian Murphy despite being a frequent collaborator with Nolan has never headlined a major role in any of their projects together.

    This will be the first and it’s a gargantuan role for one of the best actors who are not known for his star persona and screen presence, something he possesses a great deal of. He brings both to the screen whenever he appears, his chiselled face and natural grace lending any role a big screen quality. Ironically, Murphy’s best and biggest role belongs to the smaller screen—as Thomas Shelby in BBC and Netflix drama Peaky Blinders. 

    In Nolan’s Dunkirk, Murphy played a nameless role simply credited as Shivering Soldier, an army man overwhelmed by the deaths and mutilations of war, his future life already altered even before making out of the battlefield. In Peaky Blinders, a show created and written by Steven Knight, Thomas Shelby too is a decorated veteran having served during the Great War, at Somme. He returns to his Romani working-class family—his two brothers and best friends served along with him too—in Birmingham, all of them suffering from either alcoholism or different degrees of PTSDs. 

    ALSO READ: Cillian Murphy on Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’: Interested in the man, not mechanics

    But Thomas Shelby is a man on a mission. He looks around Small Heath, the working class neighbourhood of Birmingham with its factories and manufacturing units and how his brethren is looked down upon. At a time of great upheaval, Thomas Shelby takes it upon himself to uplift the family both in terms of wealth as well as social class, beginning with betting, illegal at first and licensed later, racing and manufacturing automobiles to selling liquor. 

    Peaky Blinders which concluded its final season on Netflix this year is an epic that charts the class war in the post-war UK when the underclass awakens to communism and socialism, the IRA is in its nascent but influential stages and the aristocrats go through a churn, nothing revolutionary but more of a nudge. Murphy’s Shelby plots a growth path for the big family, derogatively looked down as ‘gypsies’, taking on the local bourgeoisie and power centres like the police force and gradually moving to London, the Jewish and Italian mafia and all the way to Westminster Abbey. 

    Peaky Blinders employs great camerawork, compelling family dynamics, musical score and old-world storytelling coupled with brilliant performances to essentially depict a family at endless war with the outside world. One of the best-looking TV series in recent times, there is a discernible change in disposition when the series moved to Netflix in Season 4 when the anamorphic lenses were adopted to film the series that had expanded in scope. Everything becomes wider and deeper in focus, complementing the plot’s direction.

    But even though its weaker sections—which are arguably not many—the force holding the series together is Cillian Murphy. His gait, his natural air of authority that is at odds with his unassuming nature towards his comrades in the proletariat and a commanding dialogue delivery makes for an arresting portrayal that sits in the pantheon of great performances. 

    Murphy has a natural star charisma that flows out of the screen no matter what role he is playing, but Thomas Shelby is the biggest of them all with the widest spectrum of emotions and character arcs. It’s the one artwork that does justice to his talents and for that alone, Nolan’s Oppenheimer is a prospect to relish. Murphy is known to maintain a low profile outside of the screen, his disinterest and shyness are palpable during the few talk shows and promotional events he’s appeared in over the years but in front of a movie camera, he is rarely short of electric. Who better than Nolan to bring that to big cinema magic?

    Last week the first poster of Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film Oppenheimer dropped with a release date of July 21, 2023. It stars Cillian Murphy as the titular physicist and one of the frontmen in the creation of the atomic bomb. Cillian Murphy despite being a frequent collaborator with Nolan has never headlined a major role in any of their projects together.

    This will be the first and it’s a gargantuan role for one of the best actors who are not known for his star persona and screen presence, something he possesses a great deal of. He brings both to the screen whenever he appears, his chiselled face and natural grace lending any role a big screen quality. Ironically, Murphy’s best and biggest role belongs to the smaller screen—as Thomas Shelby in BBC and Netflix drama Peaky Blinders. 

    In Nolan’s Dunkirk, Murphy played a nameless role simply credited as Shivering Soldier, an army man overwhelmed by the deaths and mutilations of war, his future life already altered even before making out of the battlefield. In Peaky Blinders, a show created and written by Steven Knight, Thomas Shelby too is a decorated veteran having served during the Great War, at Somme. He returns to his Romani working-class family—his two brothers and best friends served along with him too—in Birmingham, all of them suffering from either alcoholism or different degrees of PTSDs. 

    ALSO READ: Cillian Murphy on Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’: Interested in the man, not mechanics

    But Thomas Shelby is a man on a mission. He looks around Small Heath, the working class neighbourhood of Birmingham with its factories and manufacturing units and how his brethren is looked down upon. At a time of great upheaval, Thomas Shelby takes it upon himself to uplift the family both in terms of wealth as well as social class, beginning with betting, illegal at first and licensed later, racing and manufacturing automobiles to selling liquor. 

    Peaky Blinders which concluded its final season on Netflix this year is an epic that charts the class war in the post-war UK when the underclass awakens to communism and socialism, the IRA is in its nascent but influential stages and the aristocrats go through a churn, nothing revolutionary but more of a nudge. Murphy’s Shelby plots a growth path for the big family, derogatively looked down as ‘gypsies’, taking on the local bourgeoisie and power centres like the police force and gradually moving to London, the Jewish and Italian mafia and all the way to Westminster Abbey. 

    Peaky Blinders employs great camerawork, compelling family dynamics, musical score and old-world storytelling coupled with brilliant performances to essentially depict a family at endless war with the outside world. One of the best-looking TV series in recent times, there is a discernible change in disposition when the series moved to Netflix in Season 4 when the anamorphic lenses were adopted to film the series that had expanded in scope. Everything becomes wider and deeper in focus, complementing the plot’s direction.

    But even though its weaker sections—which are arguably not many—the force holding the series together is Cillian Murphy. His gait, his natural air of authority that is at odds with his unassuming nature towards his comrades in the proletariat and a commanding dialogue delivery makes for an arresting portrayal that sits in the pantheon of great performances. 

    Murphy has a natural star charisma that flows out of the screen no matter what role he is playing, but Thomas Shelby is the biggest of them all with the widest spectrum of emotions and character arcs. It’s the one artwork that does justice to his talents and for that alone, Nolan’s Oppenheimer is a prospect to relish. Murphy is known to maintain a low profile outside of the screen, his disinterest and shyness are palpable during the few talk shows and promotional events he’s appeared in over the years but in front of a movie camera, he is rarely short of electric. Who better than Nolan to bring that to big cinema magic?

  • Billy Magnussen joins Netflix’s ‘Spy Kids’ reboot

    By Express News Service

    The newest addition to the cast of Netflix’s reboot of the famous franchise Spy Kids is Billy Magnussen. He joins the previously announced members Gina Rodriguez, Zachary Levi, Everly Carganilla, and Connor Esterson.

    The franchise which began back in 2001 follows a pair of siblings who become spies following the footsteps of their parents and getting mired in the experiences of their spy agency. This new, yet unnamed instalment will be another soft reboot with the focus on two kids after they unwittingly help an evil game developer create an unstoppable computer virus.

    With the virus granting the developer control over all the world’s technology, the kids have to take up the parents’ position to save the day. The reboot features the return of the franchise’s creator Robert Rodriguez. Although he went on to direct films like Alita: Battle Angel and Billie Eilish’s Happier Than Ever, he’s been very closely associated with the Spy Kids brand, even if some entries weren’t particularly well-received.

    He’s once again directing, writing, and producing the new film with Racer Max joining him as a co-writer and producer along with Elizabeth Avellan who also produces. Skydance and Spyglass teamed up to produce the film with David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Don Granger executive producing for Skydance and Gary Barber and Peter Oillataguerre executive producing for Spyglass.

    The newest addition to the cast of Netflix’s reboot of the famous franchise Spy Kids is Billy Magnussen. He joins the previously announced members Gina Rodriguez, Zachary Levi, Everly Carganilla, and Connor Esterson.

    The franchise which began back in 2001 follows a pair of siblings who become spies following the footsteps of their parents and getting mired in the experiences of their spy agency. This new, yet unnamed instalment will be another soft reboot with the focus on two kids after they unwittingly help an evil game developer create an unstoppable computer virus.

    With the virus granting the developer control over all the world’s technology, the kids have to take up the parents’ position to save the day. The reboot features the return of the franchise’s creator Robert Rodriguez. Although he went on to direct films like Alita: Battle Angel and Billie Eilish’s Happier Than Ever, he’s been very closely associated with the Spy Kids brand, even if some entries weren’t particularly well-received.

    He’s once again directing, writing, and producing the new film with Racer Max joining him as a co-writer and producer along with Elizabeth Avellan who also produces. Skydance and Spyglass teamed up to produce the film with David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Don Granger executive producing for Skydance and Gary Barber and Peter Oillataguerre executive producing for Spyglass.

  • Shooting begins for Bridgerton season 3

    By Express News Service

    Season three of Netflix’s period romantic drama Bridgerton has gone on floors, the streaming platform announced.

    The new season will focus on the love story of Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton). In addition to the existing cast, the show will also feature three new actors, Daniel Francis, Sam Philips and James Phoon.

    While Francis plays a charismatic who attracts matriarchs of the town, reports suggest that Philips play a Lord with unusual interest. Focusing on the lives of Penelope and Colin, Bridgerton season three will explore the couple’s lives and how Penelope tries to live a double life as Lady Whistedown, while Colin trying to get more friendlier with Penelope.

    Season three of Netflix’s period romantic drama Bridgerton has gone on floors, the streaming platform announced.

    The new season will focus on the love story of Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton). In addition to the existing cast, the show will also feature three new actors, Daniel Francis, Sam Philips and James Phoon.

    While Francis plays a charismatic who attracts matriarchs of the town, reports suggest that Philips play a Lord with unusual interest. Focusing on the lives of Penelope and Colin, Bridgerton season three will explore the couple’s lives and how Penelope tries to live a double life as Lady Whistedown, while Colin trying to get more friendlier with Penelope.

  • ‘The Gray Man’ was a great opportunity to work with Dhanush: Director Joe Russo

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: “We just think that we are on the cusp of an explosion of Indian talent around the world,” says filmmaker Joe Russo.

    Perhaps why he and his brother Anthony Russo, who together make up the famous Russo Brothers, picked on Dhanush for a key role in their latest film “The Gray Man”.

    The South star, who makes his Hollywood debut in the Netflix film that drops this Friday, said in turn that he felt he had a responsibility to deliver so filmmakers from the West continue to come for more talent to India.

    “That’s the only thing that I had in my mind. I didn’t feel any other pressure when I was working on ‘The Gray Man’.”

    Dhanush said at a virtual roundtable interview with Joe and Anthony Russo.

    “Of course, they are the Russos, they’re going to capture the best version of you anyway,” the actor said in response to a question by PTI.

    Joe said both he and his brother have particular interests and love for Indian talent.

    “There is only one other country in the world that creates movies on the scale of Hollywood and that’s India. When you have a really robust film community, like in India, it produces talents with a lot of experience in front of the camera,” he added.

    The Russo Brothers, known for directing superhero blockbusters “Captain America: Winter Soldier”, “Captain America: Civil War” and “Avengers: Infinity War”, said now is the best time to be an actor with diversity.

    “Films are becoming more and more global. There are more possibilities than there ever have been,” Anthony said.

    In the past four years, the director duo has also collaborated with Randeep Hooda for their Chris Hemsworth-led production “Extraction” (2020), and with Priyanka Chopra Jonas on the forthcoming Amazon Studio series “Citadel”.

    “The Gray Man” is a global story which made for a perfect collaboration with Dhanush, said Joe.

    The Russo Brothers said they were impressed with Dhanush’s work in his films and created the part of Avik San, especially for the Indian superstar.

    Joe said they came across Dhanush’s movies while researching the action sequences for their Marvel projects.

    “We saw two or three clips of Dhanush and they were fantastic. That’s really how we came to know Dhanush while working on the Marvel films. He really inspired a couple of hand-to-hand combat sequences in those movies,” he added.

    The directors have penned “The Gray Man” with frequent collaborators Stephen McFeely and Christopher Markus.

    Based on Mark Greaney’s 2009 novel of the same name, it is a spy action thriller revolving around freelance assassin and former CIA operative Court Gentry aka Sierra Six (Ryan Gosling) who is hunted across the world by Lloyd Hansen (Chris Evans) and other international assassins.

    “This film was a great opportunity to work with Dhanush because it’s such a global story. And the concept is that assassins from all over the world get hired to stop Six and we thought it would be fantastic to get Dhanush to play the most deadly assassin of them all, who was the one who actually does stop him.”

    According to Dhanush, the Russo Brothers make everything really fun, simple and easy.

    “They walk you through the film, they talk about your character and make the process nice and smooth,” the 38-year-old National Award winner added.

    His character in the movie is described by the Russos as a “high-level assassin” with a strong code of conduct.

    The makers, who had been developing the film for 10 years, said they decided to take a mysterious approach towards Dhanush’s character.

    “We like characters which are mysterious and hold their cards close to their vest. He was intended to be a high-level assassin who comes in and is the only one who can stop Six. There is a unique introduction to him which gives us an understanding that he might be more contemplative than other assassins, who are more wild and erratic, violent,” Joe told PTI.

    On a lighter note, Dhanush said he had a great time playing ‘a man of few words’ as he didn’t have to rehearse a lot of dialogues.

    “I’m not so fluent with English and I come from a different language (background) so when I found I just had a few lines, it was less stressful for me… It’s a mysterious character and I actually got into the skin. That’s what’s been reflected on screen…”

    “The Gray Man” also stars Ana de Armas, Billy Bob Thornton, Rege Jean-Page and Jessica Henwick, It is produced by the Russos and Mike Larocca via AGBO and Roth Kirschenbaum’s Joe Roth, Jeff Kirschenbaum and Chris Castaldi.

    NEW DELHI: “We just think that we are on the cusp of an explosion of Indian talent around the world,” says filmmaker Joe Russo.

    Perhaps why he and his brother Anthony Russo, who together make up the famous Russo Brothers, picked on Dhanush for a key role in their latest film “The Gray Man”.

    The South star, who makes his Hollywood debut in the Netflix film that drops this Friday, said in turn that he felt he had a responsibility to deliver so filmmakers from the West continue to come for more talent to India.

    “That’s the only thing that I had in my mind. I didn’t feel any other pressure when I was working on ‘The Gray Man’.”

    Dhanush said at a virtual roundtable interview with Joe and Anthony Russo.

    “Of course, they are the Russos, they’re going to capture the best version of you anyway,” the actor said in response to a question by PTI.

    Joe said both he and his brother have particular interests and love for Indian talent.

    “There is only one other country in the world that creates movies on the scale of Hollywood and that’s India. When you have a really robust film community, like in India, it produces talents with a lot of experience in front of the camera,” he added.

    The Russo Brothers, known for directing superhero blockbusters “Captain America: Winter Soldier”, “Captain America: Civil War” and “Avengers: Infinity War”, said now is the best time to be an actor with diversity.

    “Films are becoming more and more global. There are more possibilities than there ever have been,” Anthony said.

    In the past four years, the director duo has also collaborated with Randeep Hooda for their Chris Hemsworth-led production “Extraction” (2020), and with Priyanka Chopra Jonas on the forthcoming Amazon Studio series “Citadel”.

    “The Gray Man” is a global story which made for a perfect collaboration with Dhanush, said Joe.

    The Russo Brothers said they were impressed with Dhanush’s work in his films and created the part of Avik San, especially for the Indian superstar.

    Joe said they came across Dhanush’s movies while researching the action sequences for their Marvel projects.

    “We saw two or three clips of Dhanush and they were fantastic. That’s really how we came to know Dhanush while working on the Marvel films. He really inspired a couple of hand-to-hand combat sequences in those movies,” he added.

    The directors have penned “The Gray Man” with frequent collaborators Stephen McFeely and Christopher Markus.

    Based on Mark Greaney’s 2009 novel of the same name, it is a spy action thriller revolving around freelance assassin and former CIA operative Court Gentry aka Sierra Six (Ryan Gosling) who is hunted across the world by Lloyd Hansen (Chris Evans) and other international assassins.

    “This film was a great opportunity to work with Dhanush because it’s such a global story. And the concept is that assassins from all over the world get hired to stop Six and we thought it would be fantastic to get Dhanush to play the most deadly assassin of them all, who was the one who actually does stop him.”

    According to Dhanush, the Russo Brothers make everything really fun, simple and easy.

    “They walk you through the film, they talk about your character and make the process nice and smooth,” the 38-year-old National Award winner added.

    His character in the movie is described by the Russos as a “high-level assassin” with a strong code of conduct.

    The makers, who had been developing the film for 10 years, said they decided to take a mysterious approach towards Dhanush’s character.

    “We like characters which are mysterious and hold their cards close to their vest. He was intended to be a high-level assassin who comes in and is the only one who can stop Six. There is a unique introduction to him which gives us an understanding that he might be more contemplative than other assassins, who are more wild and erratic, violent,” Joe told PTI.

    On a lighter note, Dhanush said he had a great time playing ‘a man of few words’ as he didn’t have to rehearse a lot of dialogues.

    “I’m not so fluent with English and I come from a different language (background) so when I found I just had a few lines, it was less stressful for me… It’s a mysterious character and I actually got into the skin. That’s what’s been reflected on screen…”

    “The Gray Man” also stars Ana de Armas, Billy Bob Thornton, Rege Jean-Page and Jessica Henwick, It is produced by the Russos and Mike Larocca via AGBO and Roth Kirschenbaum’s Joe Roth, Jeff Kirschenbaum and Chris Castaldi.

  • Netflix adaptation of Resident Evil released online

    By Express News Service

    Netflix released the television adaptation of the celebrated Resident Evil franchise on 14 July. All eight episodes of the first season were released online and gathered generally mixed reviews from fans on social media. It is the first live-action adaptation of the franchise made for the small screen. An animated mini-series adaptation of the franchise titled Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness was released on Netflix a year ago.

    The show is developed by Andrew Dabb, who had written over 45 episodes for Supernatural. The series is set in its own original story universe but it still uses the story from the original game series for its backstory and lore.

    Lance Riddick plays the live-action version of the character named Albert Wesker, who features prominently in the video game series.

    The Netflix adaptation has gained criticism for its lackluster writing and poor use of Resident Evil lore.

    Following Resident Evil, several other video game series, including Alan Wake, Twisted Metal, Fallout, and Final Fantasy, is currently being developed into a TV series. 

    The Resident Evil franchise started out as a Japanese survival horror video game. With successful film, animation, graphic novel, and audio-drama adaptations, it became the highest-grossing horror franchise to date. 

    Netflix released the television adaptation of the celebrated Resident Evil franchise on 14 July. All eight episodes of the first season were released online and gathered generally mixed reviews from fans on social media. It is the first live-action adaptation of the franchise made for the small screen. An animated mini-series adaptation of the franchise titled Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness was released on Netflix a year ago.

    The show is developed by Andrew Dabb, who had written over 45 episodes for Supernatural. The series is set in its own original story universe but it still uses the story from the original game series for its backstory and lore.

    Lance Riddick plays the live-action version of the character named Albert Wesker, who features prominently in the video game series.

    The Netflix adaptation has gained criticism for its lackluster writing and poor use of Resident Evil lore.

    Following Resident Evil, several other video game series, including Alan Wake, Twisted Metal, Fallout, and Final Fantasy, is currently being developed into a TV series. 

    The Resident Evil franchise started out as a Japanese survival horror video game. With successful film, animation, graphic novel, and audio-drama adaptations, it became the highest-grossing horror franchise to date. 

  • All for ‘The Gray Man’: Dhanush thanks Anand Mahindra, posts pic with cast

    By IANS

    NEW DELHI: Dhanush took to social media to share a picture of him with the cast of the Ryan Gosling-starrer ‘The Gray Man’, the USD 200-million action drama streaming on Netflix from July 22.

    ‘The Gray Man’, tweeted Dhanush, “premieres one week from today! For now, please enjoy this high-res photo of the gorgeous and talented cast since I know you’re all gonna want to zoom in.”

    The Gray Man premieres one week from today!For now, please enjoy this high res photo of the gorgeous and talented cast since I know you’re all gonna want to zoom in. pic.twitter.com/EPv669UCTU
    — Netflix (@netflix) July 15, 2022
    He also retweeted industrialist and social media commentator Anand Mahindra, who carried an action-packed clip from ‘The Gray Man’, and wrote: “Kudos to the producers for this inspired casting. Never envisioned @dhanushkraja as an intimidating, compact killing machine. I suspect his style will elevate all fight sequences in Indian cinema.”

    In response to Mahindra’s praise, Dhanush wrote: “Thank you so much for the encouragement, sir.”

    Thank you so much for the encouragement sir. https://t.co/GU53PFtQpo
    — Dhanush (@dhanushkraja) July 14, 2022
    The scene has Dhanush, who plays a sharply suited assassin named Avik San in the movie, engaged in some high-intensity, bare-knuckles action with Ryan Gosling (Court Gentry aka Sierra Six) and Ana de Armas (Dani Miranda).

    Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, from a screenplay based on the 2009 novel of the same name by Mark Greaney, the cast of ‘The Gray Man’ also has Chris Evans, Jessica Henwick, Rege-Jean Page, Wagner Moura, Julia Butters, Alfre Woodard, and Billy Bob Thornton. The film is intended to be the start of a franchise based upon Greaney’s ‘Gray Man’ novels.

    NEW DELHI: Dhanush took to social media to share a picture of him with the cast of the Ryan Gosling-starrer ‘The Gray Man’, the USD 200-million action drama streaming on Netflix from July 22.

    ‘The Gray Man’, tweeted Dhanush, “premieres one week from today! For now, please enjoy this high-res photo of the gorgeous and talented cast since I know you’re all gonna want to zoom in.”

    The Gray Man premieres one week from today!
    For now, please enjoy this high res photo of the gorgeous and talented cast since I know you’re all gonna want to zoom in. pic.twitter.com/EPv669UCTU
    — Netflix (@netflix) July 15, 2022
    He also retweeted industrialist and social media commentator Anand Mahindra, who carried an action-packed clip from ‘The Gray Man’, and wrote: “Kudos to the producers for this inspired casting. Never envisioned @dhanushkraja as an intimidating, compact killing machine. I suspect his style will elevate all fight sequences in Indian cinema.”

    In response to Mahindra’s praise, Dhanush wrote: “Thank you so much for the encouragement, sir.”

    Thank you so much for the encouragement sir. https://t.co/GU53PFtQpo
    — Dhanush (@dhanushkraja) July 14, 2022
    The scene has Dhanush, who plays a sharply suited assassin named Avik San in the movie, engaged in some high-intensity, bare-knuckles action with Ryan Gosling (Court Gentry aka Sierra Six) and Ana de Armas (Dani Miranda).

    Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, from a screenplay based on the 2009 novel of the same name by Mark Greaney, the cast of ‘The Gray Man’ also has Chris Evans, Jessica Henwick, Rege-Jean Page, Wagner Moura, Julia Butters, Alfre Woodard, and Billy Bob Thornton. The film is intended to be the start of a franchise based upon Greaney’s ‘Gray Man’ novels.